Draft gear



Aug. 26, 1930. w. H. COTTON DRAFT GEAR Filed March 25, i925- 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Aug. 26, 1930.

w. H. COTTON 1,774,085

DRAFT GEAR Fi'led March 25, 1925 Z-ShQets-Sheet. 2

Patented AugQZG, 1930 V .WAIQ'JQER 3. common; or onions-o, rumors;

51 ATEF Y DRAFT AR P Applicatibn. am 23(1925. Serial No. 17,611.

7' 1 invention -r elate s.to absorbingdevices and moreespecially to draftg'ears' of thelikefl 7 One ofthe objects of the invention is the provision of a and improved friction means" for assisting inresisting the inwardmovement ofthe fric-' tionshoe's during. the compression of the ,gear. t d v g A further object of'the invention isthe provision of new and improved rneansfor insuring substantially the same amount of pressure on the friction elements; at 15 the gear, during the compression of the same. Another'objectof theinvention is the provision of a new and improved arrangement the friction type forq'use on railway carsand 9 lower memberseach of'whichcomprisesa-casing 17 and afollower block 18; Thefollower blocklS be and preferably is made i'nte'gral with thecasing although is under- V stood that it m'ay be a separate and indepen V r and wedge members. v d

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which v Fig. 1 is a plan-view of a draft gear show- 7 .ing the same in position,

away and parts in section;

of friction plates and cooperating springs Fig.2 is'a' section on line 2-.2'of

Fig.8 is a view similar to that shown; in Fig. 1 but wi 11 parts in compressed position; Fig.-'4 is .a'perspective view'of' one of the friction plates; 1

Fig. 5 is a'perspectiveview of one ofthe friction or drag plates; Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofthe friction shoe or wedge member; I Fig. 7 is'a-n end elevation of one of th'efol lower members; and I, I i

Fig. 8 is a side view thereof. 4 Onthe drawings the reference characters 10 and 11 designate center sills of a railway" car, each of which is provided with a draft lug 12 and a bufier lug13. The draft gear 14 is mounted between the lugs 12 and 13 and v 45 is embraced by'thedraft yoke 15fsecnred to 7 draft gear provided new thereof with a lug or an lncl nedsurface ng seat or socket 21 on itsouter h d' f portion. The outer sides of the c'asings'f17 with parts broken provided with incllne g AssIGNos 'ro' nnionnnarrcnanooivr- ,r rAnziorcnioAeo, Immerse CORPORATIONOF ELA RE ,v a

the draw'barvld'as is 'usu'al in such c0n"- struction s.

The draft'gear 14 includes pair 'offol- Each-casing 17 is provided at each side 19 on its inner portion,

and a spri are cut away'as shown-at 22in Fig.- 8 to perthe reception ofthe friction plates as will presently appear. 1 The casingsl? are provided with friction elements for resisting the inward or compressing movement ofthe gear. In order to tion'type, asingle group. offfrictionplates are employed: This group comprises the'two sets of friction plates 23 and 24; overlapping at I their inner ends. 1 The plates are all alike, and

each is provided withan elongated opening for receiving the corresponding retracting bar 25and a slot in its inner'endvoforra f'ceiving the opposite retracting bar 25. a i

4 H earn pressure on the plates'during the compression Me'ans are provided for, creat'ng' V of the gearJiTliis means comprises a pair "of pwedging members or shoes 26, one ateach side of the frictlon plates.

l surfaces 27, see :Fig.

6, which areadapted to engage the corresponding inclined surfaces 19 on the lug-or shoulder 18 and with a spring seat or socket 28 at each side of said surface.

Springs 29 are provided for engaging the seats 28 of thewedging members or shoes 26.

The springs 29 arearranged in pairsat'the 55." shoulder 110 having a v v 7 .60 mit the spring sockets21 to be v placed far- 1 ther apart,ftherebyincreasing thespacejfor Theshoes are each d I upper and lower sides of the gear, the same being above and below the wedging surface '27 whereby the springs will prevent the Wedge from turning or twisting during the operation of the gear. These springs resist the inward movement of the'wedges during compression of the gear, thereby causing the bodiment of this feature of the invention,

suitable friction members are employed for thispurpose. As shown, friction plates 32,

- g which for convenience of description will be termed drag plates, areinserted in the group of friction plates, preferably, although not necessarily along the median line of said group. Each plate 32 is provided with an open-ing33 for the reception of the corresponding retracting bar 25,'which makesa close fit therewith. The slots 20 of each friction plate 23 being elongated permits a relative movement between the plates and the retracting bars during the initial compression of the gear.

' The drag plates 32 are also employed as means for equalizing the friction as between the two ends of thedraft gear during the compression of said gear. It is evident from an inspection of Fig. 1 that on compression of the gear, especially after the follower members 18 engage the frictionalzplates 23, there is relative movement between said plates and the wedging members or shoes.

. Since the plates 23 engage the wedging memhers or shoes at each end of the gear, it is evident that the frictional resistance/between the shoes and the plates will tend to loosen the wedge members or shoes at the left of Fig. f

; l and tightenthose at the right, inasmuch as the frictional resistance between the plates 23 andthe shoes will ten-d to carry the shoes along with the plates. The drag plates 32 being located between two of the friction plates 24 will tend to move with the, plates as they are movedtoward the left in Fig. 1.

By means of this arrangement the tendency ,of the-plates 23 to move the wedge members or shoes 26 to the right in Fig.1 during the collapsing of the gear is" counteracted. or compensated for by the tendency of the plates24, through the drag plates 32 and retracting bars 25,'to move the wedge members or friction shoes" 26 toward the left in said figure. As a result, the wedging members or shoes 26 arecaused to exert substantially the sameforce laterally on each end of the gear,

and consequently after compression the presreturn of the parts to normal position.

' I claim as my invention 1. In a draft gear, a pair of follower members, intercalated friction plates between said followers, means including friction shoes for causing inward lateral pressure on said plates during compression of said gear, springs engaging said follower members for resisting inward movement thereof, said shoes each being provided with a wedging face and a spring socket at each side of said face, and a plurality of springs seated in said sockets for resisting the inwardmovement of said shoes.

2. In a draft gear, a pair of follower members, a group of intercalated friction plates between said followers, means including wedging friction shoes for creating lateral pressure on said plates during compression of said gear, and means including drag plates movable relatively to all of said friction plates for resisting the inward movement of said shoes during the initial compression of the gear.

3. A draft gear comprising a pair of follower casings, a single group of friction plates within said casings, means at the outer ends of said casings for engaging the ends of said plates, means comprising wedging friction shoes and cooperating friction surfaces on said followers for producing lateral pressure on said plates during compression of said gear, means engaging said followers forreturning the same to normal position after compression, and means including a plurality of springs engaging each of said shoes for returning said shoes and plates to normal position after compression.

4. In a draft gear, a pair of follower members, intercalated friction plates between said followers, means including friction shoes for creating lateral pressure on said plates during compression of said gear, and means including drag plates movable with said shoes and movable relatively to said friction plates during the initial compression of the gear for resisting the inward movement of saidshoes.

.5. In a draft gear, a pair of followers, each provided with an inclined surface and with springseats at each side thereof, intercalated friction plates between said. followers, wedge plates each having an inclined surface for engaging the inclined surfaces on said followers, spring seats onsaid wedge plates, and springs engaging said seats.

6. In a'draft gear for a railway car, a wedge shoe having its inner surface plane on its inner face for engaging friction plates and having an inclined wedging surface on its outer face and a spring seat at each side of said wedging surface.

7. A draft gear comprising a pair of chamberedfollowers each having an inclined wedging surface facing inwardly at each side thereof, a spring seat adjacent to said surface, a group of interc'alated friction plates within said followers and movable relative to said followers, Wedging shoes for engaging said inclined surface and said plates and 7 provided with spring seats, springs engaging 7 said seats, retracting bars for returning the 10 parts to normal position after compression and drag plates secured to said bars and engaging said friction plates for equalizing theresistance to the inward movement of the shoes at each end of the gear.

" 5 In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALTER H. COTTON." 

